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Why is it important for restaurants to be socially conscious?

Currently, there are 2.82 billion active social media users globally. It has become the main use of communication between consumer and brand – meaning it is becoming ever more important, in this day and age, for restaurants to have a strong social presence.

Companies such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – some of the giants of the social media universe – all are public sharing platforms that allow brands to connect to their consumers through photos, videos and written information posts. Facebook currently has 2.41 billion active monthly users, meaning that any restaurant should take full advantage of the free global connections that the social media phenomenon provides.

‘The majority of my customers are regulars or are from word of mouth recommendations’.

If you happen to fall under this category of restaurant owner; online statistics will prove this to be a fairly unsuccessful mind-set. An online presence allows users to tag, ‘@’ and provide the location of a restaurant on their post – connecting the brand to the users followers and friends without having to ‘spread the word’ themselves. Empathica research shows that nearly 3 out of 4 customers (72%) have used Facebook to make restaurant or retail decisions, based on comments and images that have been shared by other users. (source: The Social Media Monthly). The hashtags ‘food’, ‘drinks’, ‘restaurant’ and ‘bar’ currently have a combined total of 629 million posts attached to them on Instagram alone. This highlights the attention social media is drawing to the hospitality industry daily, and a prime example of why brands should welcome the frenzy that surrounds it.

Generation Difference

The importance of social media for the success of a brand amongst all ages is evident with the use of social media to make decisions amongst the younger generations. A report conducted by Talk Triggers showed that when choosing a restaurant, Gen Z and Millennials are 99% more likely to rely on social media and online reviews than are Gen X and Boomers are. The statistics show that the use of social media is crucial for gaining younger customers who will in turn be likely to share their experience to others – whether its via; Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or another platform.